


Remise

by AlgernonInWonderland



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bad Parenting, Character Study, Conflicting relationships, Fencing, Gen, Internal Conflict, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26822740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlgernonInWonderland/pseuds/AlgernonInWonderland
Summary: There are at least seven ways Mother could score a touch in the next handful of seconds. Kagami won’t let her.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Remise

The attack — a simple cut aimed at the right side of her lamé slightly above her hip, her least protected line — is perfectly timed, with just the right amount of pressure on the tip of the blade. Hard to dodge, just as difficult to counter. Then again, she wouldn’t expect any less from Mother. Underneath her fencing mask, Kagami grits her teeth and readies herself. She might pull it off, if she angles her wrist and twists her body slightly to the left. But it is not Adrien she is facing, or any of the other fencers from M. D’Argencourt’s classes, and there is no way Mother would use something this direct against her. Instinctively, she brings her sword arm slightly closer to her fencing mask and—

Too slow. Truly, Mother can rant for hours about the greatness of their samurai lineage and all that it entails, but it is with a fencing sabre that she really shines, not a bokken or her usual tirades. Her impairment has barely affected her skills. The blow is impeccable, and frankly, a little humiliating — a cut-over, nearing the tip of her blade before it lands on her right shoulder. The sting takes some time to ebb away. And now Kagami knows she will have to sit through yet another of these “hesitation is the first step to defeat” talks she has long grown tired of. Or perhaps today it will be “I have not rented this fencing salle for you to be so grossly incompetent”. Or maybe something about Adrien, Marinette and all of her new friends getting in the way of her training, for a change.

“Again,” comes Mother’s voice, detached and dispassionate, as she returns to her en garde position. Flawless, as always.

Kagami does as she is told, mirroring her instructor’s pose. No long-winded speech about why she has failed... a sense of relief washes over her. It is not here to stay. She does get it right this time, spotting the early signs of the assault, exactly the same as before. But even that is not enough for her to score the point. She cannot beat the sabre away, and her opponent disengages her blade as soon as it grazes hers. Hopeless, as always. This is not the time to panic, she tells herself, this is a fencing lesson, not an execution, and she will successfully touch her Mother’s lamé before the end of the hour, even though all odds seem to be against her. She squares her shoulders and focuses more intently on her footwork, skilfully escaping a thrust aimed at her middle. It buys her a few more seconds before an attack she won’t be able to anticipate comes her way.

Too close... she needs some breathing space. She feints, just to create some distance between her opponent’s sabre and her body. And to her surprise, it works. She has the upper hand, if only for the blink of an eye, so she rushes in for a remise, extending her sword arm. Against any other fencer, it would work. But Mother always finds a way to be faster, and her attack is always unforgiving. The sound is almost deafening, metal clattering against her fencing mask in a slashing motion she barely sees coming. It leaves her ears ringing and she misses most of the usual monologue about the line between daringness and foolishness, how it is what distinguishes the gold medallist from the second best. Part of her believes it; of course, it is thanks to these principles and hard work that her family name has become associated with fencing all around the world.

And yet, for a split second, she almost feels like talking back. “Is this over? Are you done? Good,” she would snarl, and Mother would be speechless. Oh, Marinette’s rebellious streak and Alya’s glibness are rubbing off on her. Not that Kagami would actually speak any of this out loud, she cannot even imagine what would happen afterwards, she only knows that she would regret it sorely. Having these thoughts is both thrilling and frightening. It’s all very new to her, it clashes with her role as the perfect poster daughter. A role she is not sure she has ever liked, but is the simplest one if she wants to have an easy family life, or at least a calm one.

“Yes, I understand,” she utters as neutrally as she can when Mother is done talking. They both put their fencing masks back on.

This is not a lie. After years and years of training and sitting through the same long lectures, she understands all too well that Mother’s criteria change constantly with no explanation as to how and why. She is more of an opponent than a teacher sometimes. Just before they left for Paris, she would have been praised for her quick thinking. She just needs to push herself even harder, needs to have everything planned ahead. Which is always the case, her strategy simply does not work well with Mother. Back to her en garde mark it is, for the thirtieth time today. Or is it more? She should have kept count of that.

Her mind starts racing, and though she has always hated the comparison between chess and fencing, she has to admit it would be the easiest way to explain what her sport consists of to newcomers. Actions that take a handful of seconds at most, with careful planning underneath. Mother nods at her without as much as a word, and the bout resumes. Kagami advances and retracts her sabre immediately as her adversary’s stance shifts into a Prime, the blade low, her palm facing the wooden floor. She keeps a cool head as she watches her opponent tighten her grip on her sword. That means a wide cutting movement. She will have to come up with a parry to that, dodging would be a losing bet. She is ready, and she won’t lose the right of way this once.

It goes better than she has planned, her sabre’s forte takes the brunt of the attack but she holds on, and in a flick of her wrist, Mother’s sabre is trapped against hers. They are at a standstill — though to the outside eye it must have been a second at most — but this is no respite. The slightest twitch of an arm, the slightest mistake would lose her what little advantage she has. She does not falter and keeps on pushing, her grip is perfect for that. Mother’s is not, her tentative counter-attacks all fail. Kagami gives one last push and immediately angles her wrist in the opposite direction, readying herself for the inevitable she is sure will be a thrust, hastily steps back in anticipation and breathes in.

Now is her chance.

With all her might, she beats the sabre out of line as it tries to reach her exposed side, advances and in a swift motion, the tip of her sword hits Mother’s left arm without as much as a sound. The touch is hers. The salle is silent, and it has never felt as big and empty as it does now. Kagami slowly takes a step back and then two more, lowers her sabre and breathes out as noiselessly as she can. She dares not look up, but she is certain she would hear if Mother chose to move. Nothing. All that fencing gear is so heavy on her shoulders, so constraining. Her legs ache, and her head pounds, and she can feel the pinpricks on the tip of her fingers.

“Again.” Mother says.

  
“No.” Kagami whispers.

  
“Did you say something?” Mother snaps “Speak up.”

  
Kagami has to keep her hands from shaking as she removes her fencing mask.

“No,” she repeats, “not ‘again’. We have been fencing for a half hour and I need five minutes to gather my breath and drink some water.” You have not taught me a single thing today, she wants to add, you berate me when I fail but never praise me when I do things right. She wants to, but knows she is not brave enough for that.

“Is that so?” Mother remains still. “Well, I suppose it has been this long. If you come back late, you will give me your phone for the rest of the week.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Kagami says, and she hates how hollow she sounds.

This is not fair, but with Mother, few things truly are. And besides, she cannot afford to give her phone away. Marinette, Adrien and all the others will be out of school in an hour or two and she wants to chat with them. She gently puts her sabre near her fencing mask and runs to the nearest bathroom, splashing water on her face. Kagami resists the temptation to glance at her reflection - she probably looks like a mess anyway - and fills her water flask. She takes a long sip as she walks along the empty corridor, unremarkable as always. Once this ‘lesson’ is over, it will be bustling with white-collar workers eager to release their pent-up energy. There is still time before that happens, another thirty minutes during which her instructor and opponent won’t go easy on her; it has never frightened her before, and it won’t discourage her now.

Kagami pushes the door open without hesitation, puts her fencing mask back on and at last picks up her sabre.

“En garde.” she says as she turns to Mother.

Both fencers go to their respective marks.

“Prête?” Mother intones.

There are at least seven ways she could score a touch in the next handful of seconds. Kagami won’t let her.

“Allez.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this read!
> 
> This is actually a piece originally published in the wonderful Kagami Tsurugi Zine, which you ought to read right now! Lots and lots of talented artists worked on it, and also, well, me. You can find it [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJfIwyavHpEYpdXzgmnhHw5GSEibHAiX/view)! Give it a click, I promise it's worth every second!
> 
> Using fencing as an objective correlative and a metaphor for complex relationships and ideals? I'm sure no one thought of it before (also, asking for absolutely no reason at all, have you watched _Utena_? It's a masterpiece)!
> 
> Updates on all my WIP fics will resume as soon as I am satisfied with what I've written, and when my life stops being so busy with university, my job, my involvement in my students' union and the dread that comes with the impending doom of late stage capitalism and its existential threat.
> 
> In the meantime, if you're bored and want to follow me on Tumblr ( [clickety click](https://algernoninwonderland.tumblr.com)), you can read all about my frustrations and disappointment when it comes to _Miraculous_ as well as my attempts to analyse that mess of a show, or watch as I get in endless arguments with people because of my galaxy brain takes on _Madoka Magica_ , and ramble about my love for _Utena_ , which, have I mentioned it yet, is a masterpiece.
> 
> À bientôt!


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